United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone, David Hunt has described articles in some local tabloids accusing the United States of having a hand in the proposed takeover bid of Sierra Rutile Limited by Marampa Mines operating under PRM as not only erroneous but misleading and a deliberate attempt to drag the United States Government into a private stock exchange business matter.
Speaking at a press conference held at the US Embassy, Hill Station in Freetown, Ambassador Hunt informed journalists that all what is written on local tabloids are opinions and not facts. He said the transaction between Marampa Mines and Sierra Rutile is not a secret because it can be accessed on the Australian stock exchange website as well as in other international stock exchange websites. It was not done behind closed doors. Whenever a company reaches a threshold of 20% it can declare its intention to go public if it wishes to buy shares into another company. This is clearly understood by the parties and the Australian stock exchange, the Ambassador said.
According to Ambassador Hunt, from the inception of the business transaction, the US company which is seeking to takeover Sierra Rutile in Sierra Leone, publicly demonstrated its interest by bidding to buy shares into the company which is legal; and something which the mining company did not reject and is yet to publicly announce its position regarding the takeover or announce a higher bidding price which they have not also done.
He went on to inform his audience that any information circulating in Sierra Leone that Marampa Mines is not paying surface rent to the Sierra Leone authorities is a categorical falsehood because American countries operating elsewhere in the world comply with laid down laws in the countries they operate, talk less about Sierra Leone where the US has vested interested in ensuring that the investment climate in Sierra Leone is always at an all-time high.
He assured journalists that the United States is not a party to the transaction between Marampa Mines and Sierra Rutile but that the US will always ensure that foreign investment in Sierra Leone is geared towards benefitting the government and people of Sierra Leone. He encouraged journalists to seek accurate information because publishing incorrect information on such matters poses real damage to Sierra Leones investment climate.
A question and answer session was the climax of the press conference wherein journalists from various media institutions posed questions to the US Ambassador ranging from the number of US companies operating in Sierra Leone, the facts about Marampa Mines operations in Sierra Leone, the realities about total exports of minerals exported by American companies operating in Sierra Leone, the figures in terms of taxes paid to the government by US companies operating in Sierra Leone among other sensitive questions which were all responded to by the US Ambassador and his aides.
In response to a question about Craig Deans credentials, the US Ambassador said Craig Dean is a respected senior US corporate executive with vast experience in the extractive minerals industry with companies in several countries.
